Forum to address food-related deaths

MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG , (CAJ News ) – A STRATEGIC partnership has been announced to address food safety challenges on the African continent.

The partnership by UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) follows the realisation an estimated 2 000 people in Africa die from food safety-related illnesses every day.

To this end, a memorandum of understanding between UNIDO and the GFSI will be officially signed at this year’s historic Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in
June.

UNIDO and the GFSI plan to jointly dedicate and mobilise resources to upscale food safety projects in targeted geographies. A roadmap, currently being crafted, will implement projects in a number of countries based on the GFSI Global Markets Programme.

“We are very excited about the potential of this strategic partnership between UNIDO and the GFSI. Collaboration is the way forward in achieving food safety across borders and barriers,” said Peter Freedman, Managing Director of The Consumer Goods Forum.

The forum will be held from June 15-17, for the first time in African soil.

The Global Summit is expected to draw more than 800 delegates from over 365 companies in 40 countries.

The co-chair of The Consumer Goods Forum and chairman of Pick n Pay, Gareth Ackerman, will host the CEOs from the world’s most influential consumer and retail brands.